Dreamcatcher 2020

House Notes – Dreamcatcher

Dreamcatcher is an award winning sustainable home perched atop a hill surrounded by mountains and rainforest in tropical far north Queensland.

This pavilion style home is set out around a 5 pointed stone circle at the centre of the site to form a dreamcatcher in aerial view. Each pavilion contains a separate use linked by recycled timber and recycled glass elements, courtyards, water and landscaping.

The roof system features vented eaves, solar ridge vents, double insulation and 900mm overhangs to keep the home cool year-round. The structure is lightweight with insulated sized to minimise construction waste.

Passive designed with orientation for cool living areas, cross ventilation, louvres to capture on-site breezes, shaded outdoor areas, light colours to reflect heat and skylights for natural daylighting.

During construction, recycled crushed glass was used under the slabs instead of sand. All construction waste was separated and recycled where possible.

The house features a 5.6kW battery compatible solar power system, solar hot water, energy efficient appliances and LED lighting throughout.

Sustainable features in the garden include recycled timber, low water use gardens, bespoke polished concrete pavers with recycled glass, composting, green walls, rainwater tank and a low chemical magnesium pool.

At every turn, framed views and courtyards blur the edges between the indoors and outdoors to reflect a tropical lifestyle in harmony with the environment.

BDAQ State Design Awards: Sustainable Building Design, Interior Design

BDAQ FNQ Regional Awards: Sustainable Building Design, Interior Design, Best use of Hardies product, Custom Homes $500-750K

To read more about this home in the Cairns Post click here.

Designer is Green at Heart – Sophie Barrett and the builder is Kenick Constructions

Sustainability Features

Years Open
2017
2020
ENERGY AND WATER EFFICIENT FEATURES
    • Energy efficiency:
    • Draught proofing
      Efficient lighting
      Efficient appliances
      Energy monitoring
    • Passive heating cooling:
    • Cross ventilation
      External planting
      Passive solar designed home
      Shading
      Thermal chimney
      Thermal mass

    • Passive heating cooling:
    • Solar roof vents, ridge vents, eaves vents
    • Active heating cooling:
    • Ceiling fans

    • Active heating cooling:
    • Solar roof vents
    • Water heating:
    • Solar hot water (flat panel)
    • Water harvesting and saving features:
    • Stormwater management
      Low flow shower heads
      Low flow taps
      Drip irrigation
    • Energy Efficient Lighting
    • LED lights throughout
      Natural daylight
      Skylight
      Solar skylight
    • Window Protection:
    • Aluminium louvres
SUSTAINABLE & RECYCLED MATERIALS
    • Sustainable materials:
    • Hardies weatherboards, bamboo flooring, Earthwool insulation, recycled timber, recycled glass under slab and in features, No VOC paint, Low VOC Cabinetry
    • Recycled and reused materials:
    • Aggregate
      Glass
      Pallets
      Paving
      Rocks/stone
      Timber
INSULATION SPECIFICATIONS
    • Insulation Type:
    • Under-roof
      Ceiling
    • Ceiling Type:
    • Bulk – glass wool
    • Ceiling Rating:
    • Product R3.5 on ceiling and R1.5 reflected insulation under roof
    • Internal / External Walls Type:
    • Weatherboard, insulation, reflective foil, plasterboard
    • Internal / External Walls Rating:
    • R1.5 bulk insulation.
    • Under Roof Insulation Type:
    • Reflective foil lined blanket
    • Under Roof Insulation Rating:
    • R1.5
RENEWABLE ENERGY SPECIFICATIONS
    • All-Electric Home?
    • No
    • Energy star rating:
    • 9.5 stars
    • Renewable energy used:
    • Solar PV grid connect
    • Size of PV system:
    • 5.6
COSTS AND COST SAVINGS
    • Cost estimate of sustainable home/features:
    • $40,000
    • Estimate of annual savings:
    • $4000 pa
HOUSE DESIGN SPECIFICATIONS
    • House Size
    • Main 225m2 Office 65m2 Granny Flat 54m2
    • BAL Rating
    • No BAL rating requirements at time of construction
    • Roof
    • Metal (Colorbond)
    • Wall Materials
    • Lightweight construction (timber frame)
    • Window and Door Types
    • Louvre windows
      Skylights
      Sliding windows/doors

    • Window and Door Types
    • Tinted windows
    • Universal design accessability
    • Multi-generational
      Universal access
    • Universal Design Features
    • 80cm minimum door opening width
      Hobless showers
      Minimum 110cm wide hallways
      No stairs/steps
      No Corner cupboards
      Slip resistant flooring
      Space around toilets for ease of access in wheelchairs
      Tapware to be easily accessed from outside the shower
      Washing machine/dryer on plynth for easy access
      Window openings easily accessible
    • Number of bedrooms
    • 5
    • Number of bathrooms
    • 2
GARDEN AND WASTE REDUCTION
    • Garden / Outdoors
    • Low water Zoysia Grass, recycled timber, recycled glass features and pavers, magnesium pool
    • Garden / Outdoors
    • Aquaponics
      Composting
      Drip irrigation
      Edible garden
      Frog friendly
      Green walls
      Organic
      Native plants
      Water wise plants

    • Waste Reduction Practices:
    • Compost all food scraps
      Take own containers to the supermarket and for take away food
      Waste free/reduced construction site
HEALTHY HOME FEATURES
    • Healthy home features
    • Airtight house design
      Automated ventilation system
      Carpet free - tiles/concrete/timber flooring throughout
      Chemical free cleaning products used
      Cross flow ventilation
      Indoor plants for air filtration
      Low VOC paints/sealer/varnish
      Natural light and ventilation
      VOC free paints/sealer/varnish
Location
Smithfield QLD 4878
    • Housing Type:
    • Standalone House
    • Project Type:
    • New Build
    • Open with support of
    • Cairns Regional Council
    • Builder
    • Kenick Constructions
    • Designer
    • Green at Heart

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